A soldier facing a court-martial for his role in the alleged abuse of Iraqi war prisoners says commanders ignored his requests to set out rules for treating POWs and scolded him for questioning the inmates' harsh treatment.

The Massachusetts Legislature approved a constitutional amendment Monday that would ban gay marriages and create civil unions for same-sex couples. But the state remains under court order to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples in seven weeks.

The soldiers were charged with a range of crimes, including conspiracy, dereliction of duty, cruelty and maltreatment, assault and indecent acts with another person. The military did not explain the charges.

The March to Madness is reaching its final stages, magnifying every game's impact on seeding and positions in the NCAA basketball tournament. So, with selection Sunday three weeks away, USA TODAY's Steve Wieberg begins training his microscope on the men's hopefuls, reviewing this weekend's impact and looking ahead at the upcoming week.